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第28章

over the teacups-第28章

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acid gas; and knowledge。  There is something quite delightful to

witness in the absorption and devotion of a genuine specialist。

There is a certain sublimity in that picture of the dying scholar in

Browning's 〃A Grammarian's Funeral:〃



    〃So with the throttling hands of death at strife;

          Ground he at grammar;

     Still; through the rattle; parts of speech were rife;

          While he could stammer

     He settled Hoti's businesslet it be

          Properly based Oun

     Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic De;

          Dead from the waist down。〃



A genuine enthusiasm; which will never be satisfied until it has

pumped the well dry at the bottom of which truth is lying; always

excites our interest; if not our admiration。



One of the pleasantest of our American writers; whom we all remember

as Ik Marvel; and greet in his more recent appearance as Donald Grant

Mitchell; speaks of the awkwardness which he feels in offering to the

public a 〃panoramic view of British writers in these days of

specialists;when students devote half a lifetime to the analysis of

the works of a single author; and to the proper study of a single

period。〃



He need not have feared that his connected sketches of 〃English

Lands; Letters and Kings〃 would be any less welcome because they do

not pretend to fill up all the details or cover all the incidents

they hint in vivid outline。  How many of us ever read or ever will

read Drayton's 〃Poly…Olbion?〃  Twenty thousand long Alexandrines are

filled with admirable descriptions of scenery; natural productions;

and historical events; but how many of us in these days have time to

read and inwardly digest twenty thousand Alexandrine verses?  I fear

that the specialist is apt to hold his intelligent reader or hearer

too cheap。  So far as I have observed in medical specialties; what he

knows in addition to the knowledge of the well…taught general

practitioner is very largely curious rather than important。  Having

exhausted all that is practical; the specialist is naturally tempted

to amuse himself with the natural history of the organ or function he

deals with; to feel as a writing…master does when he sets a copy;

not content to shape the letters properly; but he must add flourishes

and fancy figures; to let off his spare energy。



I am beginning to be frightened。  When I began these papers; my idea

was a very simple and innocent one。  Here was a mixed company; of

various conditions; as I have already told my readers; who came

together regularly; and before they were aware of it formed something

like a club or association。  As I was the patriarch among them; they

gave me the name some of you may need to be reminded of; for as these

reports are published at intervals; you may not remember the fact

that I am what The Teacups have seen fit to call The Dictator。



Now; what did I expect when I began these papers; and what is it that

has begun to frighten me?



I expected to report grave conversations and light colloquial

passages of arms among the members of the circle。  I expected to

hear; perhaps to read; a paper now and then。  I expected to have;

from time to time; a poem from some one of The Teacups; for I felt

sure there must be among them one or more poets;Teacups of the

finer and rarer translucent kind of porcelain; to speak

metaphorically。



Out of these conversations and written contributions I thought I

might make up a readable series of papers; a not wholly unwelcome

string of recollections; anticipations; suggestions; too often

perhaps repetitions; that would be to the twilight what my earlier

series had been to the morning。



I hoped also that I should come into personal relations with my old

constituency; if I may call my nearer friends; and those more distant

ones who belong to my reading parish; by that name。  It is time that

I should。  I received this blessed morningI am telling the literal

trutha highly flattering obituary of myself in the shape of an

extract from 〃Le National〃 of the 10th of February last。  This is a

bi…weekly newspaper; published in French; in the city of Plattsburg;

Clinton County; New York。  I am occasionally reminded by my unknown

friends that I must hurry up their autograph; or make haste to copy

that poem they wish to have in the author's own handwriting; or it

will be too late; but I have never before been huddled out of the

world in this way。  I take this rather premature obituary as a hint

that; unless I come to some arrangement with my well…meaning but

insatiable correspondents; it would be as well to leave it in type;

for I cannot bear much longer the load they lay upon me。  I will

explain myself on this point after I have told my readers what has

frightened me。



I am beginning to think this room where we take our tea is more like

a tinder…box than a quiet and safe place for 〃a party in a parlor。〃

It is true that there are at least two or three incombustibles at our

table; but it looks to me as if the company might pair off before the

season is over; like the crew of Her Majesty's ship the Mantelpiece;

three or four weddings clear our whole table of all but one or two

of the impregnables。  The poem we found in the sugar…bowl last week

first opened my eyes to the probable state of things。  Now; the idea

of having to tell a love…story; perhaps two or three love…stories;

when I set out with the intention of repeating instructive; useful;

or entertaining discussions; naturally alarms me。  It is quite true

that many things which look to me suspicious may be simply playful。

Young people (and we have several such among The Teacups) are fond of

make…believe courting when they cannot have the real thing; …

〃flirting;〃 as it used to be practised in the days of Arcadian

innocence; not the more modern and more questionable recreation which

has reached us from the home of the cicisbeo。  Whatever comes of it;

I shall tell what I see; and take the consequences。



But I am at this moment going to talk in my own proper person to my

own particular public; which; as I find by my correspondence; is a

very considerable one; and with which I consider myself in

exceptionally pleasant relations。



I have read recently that Mr。 Gladstone receives six hundred letters

a day。  Perhaps he does not receive six hundred letters every day;

but if he gets anything like half that number daily; what can he do

with them?  There was a time when he was said to answer all his

correspondents。  It is understood; I think; that he has given up

doing so in these later days。



I do not pretend that I receive six hundred or even sixty letters a

day; but I do receive a good many; and have told the public of the

fact from time to time; under the pressure of their constantly

increasing exertions。  As it is extremely onerous; and is soon going

to be impossible; for me to keep up the wide range of correspondence

which has become a large part of my occupation; and tends to absorb

all the vital force which is left me; I wish to enter into a final

explanation with the well…meaning but merciless taskmasters who have

now for many years been levying their daily tax upon me。  I have

preserved thousands of their letters; and destroyed a very large

number; after answering most of them。  A few interesting chapters

might be made out of the letters I have kept;not only such as are

signed by the names of well…known personages; but many from unknown

friends; of whom I had never heard before and have never heard since。

A great deal of the best writing the languages of the world have ever

known has been committed to leaves that withered out of sight before

a second sunlight had fallen upon them。  I have had many letters I

should have liked to give the public; had their nature admitted of

their being offered to the world。  What straggles of young ambition;

finding no place for its energies; or feeling its incapacity to reach

the ideal to

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